


It's a Hard Life

by immistermercury



Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Aftermath of an Argument, Angst, Freddie gets upset by himself, Hurt/Comfort, Jim comforts him, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 12:33:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17183072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/immistermercury/pseuds/immistermercury
Summary: The guilt has been weighing heavy on his chest for too long. Predictably, Jim doesn't react well to the news. However, there's nothing that piano can't fix.





	It's a Hard Life

**Author's Note:**

> This has taken inspiration from the scene between Freddie and Mary in Bohemian Rhapsody where he plays piano for her in bed. For context, this is part of my art school Freddie AU, and Freddie has just had an argument with Jim after admitting that he slept with another man at the start of their relationship. Although Jim is angry and Freddie is upset with himself, the two find a way to reconcile.

The room was too quiet to cover up Freddie’s pained sniffles. God, he hated arguments so much, hated everything about them, hated the slow escalation and the raised voices and the insults.

He especially hated the aftermath. They were laying on either side of the mattress, a cavern between them, the tension between them so thick that it felt like it was choking him. He was trying to pretend that he wasn’t upset, that he wasn’t desperately rubbing his eyes to stop himself from crying. He loathed the pathetic wet hiccups that he let out every time that he was taking a breath, wishing that he could be like Jim and not show his emotions as outwardly as he did.

He couldn’t even go and lie on the sofa in the lounge because he shared this shitty little Kensington flat with the three others, and then they’d know that something was wrong between him and Jim. Freddie hated it when there were things going wrong, only ever wanting to tell people the bits that made them coo and pinch his cheeks.

Freddie rolled over onto his side, tracing his fingers along the wooden floorboards next to them. This room was so cold when he was alone. He stared at the curtains, wishing that they were open so that he could at least have the moon for company. He was tempted to go out onto the balcony, wanting to have time and fresh air to himself for a little while.

He heard a long sigh from Jim, making all of those feelings of guilt bubble in the pit of his stomach again, making him want to start begging for forgiveness.

He bit his tongue.

He knew that wasn’t the way to reconcile arguments between them. Jim hated listening to Freddie plead with him, hated the way it made him into the enemy and Freddie the victim when it should be the other way around.

The silence dragged on between them and every second felt like torture to them both. Freddie kept shuffling around, trying to find anything to take his mind off how much he just wanted to kiss and make up. He couldn’t be the one to initiate that this time.

He lay on his back, his hand smoothing along the wood of his piano. It was the one luxury he had afforded himself as he tried to make his way through his university education. His piano was like an old friend, a comfort no matter the situation. Without thinking, he leaned upwards, his hands naturally finding the chords that he liked to listen to.

A perfect chord broke the silence between them, flooding the air with a richness that seemed to disintegrate every bit of tension in the room. Jim looked over as Freddie looked up, pressing the keys methodically, filling the silence with a hauntingly beautiful melody, something so beautiful yet so deep in meaning. 

Freddie’s eyes closed as he played slowly, his muscles relaxing and his breath evening out as he listened to himself play. This was better than anything he’d ever been taught to relax, better than any breathing technique. His fingers had a natural lightness that let them produce the deepest sounds seemingly instantaneously.

Jim watched as he played, staring at the tear tracks on his lover’s face, his dark eyelashes against his cheeks, dark hair spread out on the pillow. He sighed slightly and moved over into the no-man’s-land between them, holding his arms out for Freddie. Christ, he could be a dick, but he was so loving and so considerate that he drove Jim insane. 

He found himself doubting every premise of their argument, wondering whether he had the right to be angry over something that had happened so long ago, when they were both so undecided and unsure of each other.

“Come here, my love.” He said, his voice a little thicker than usual. The pet name was deliberate, knowing that it would soften Freddie’s guard. If he just used his name, Freddie would remain convinced that he was angry. 

Freddie reacted instantaneously, his head tilting to the side as he looked over at his lover, his big eyes screaming out a hundred different apologies. His hand fell from the keys and the note rang out into the room. It seemed to reverberate from every surface, a note that spoke more than the two men ever could.

He moved over towards Jim, softening when the other man pulled him close. “You’re a fucking idiot, Fred.” Jim murmured into his hair. He moved so that Freddie was laying against him, knowing that was the position which Freddie found the most comforting. Warmth, security, and the ability to move away. “But I love you.” He said, running a thumb over his cheekbones gently.

Freddie found himself sniffling again. “I love you too.” He murmured, taking Jim’s hand and lacing their fingers together before kissing the back of his hand. “I’m sorry.” He croaked, squeezing his hand gently.

“Shh.” Jim replied, wiping his eyes. “Come on. It was a long time ago. We’ll get over it.” He said softly, kissing his forehead tenderly. “I didn’t mean to upset you, sweetheart.” He said quietly. “I just- you know what I’m like with the whole thing.”

Freddie nodded quickly. “And you deserve better.” He whispered, his breath ghosting across Jim’s neck. “So I’m going to give you better.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed it! I wrote this in a study break, hence why it is a little shorter than the others. I know people don't always enjoy more angsty fics, but this idea has been swimming around for a while. I'll make up for it with my next upload (another chapter of Don't You Hear) which is major fluff! As always, please leave me your feedback and any kudos you think this deserves!


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